Method of compressing air or gases.



H. A. Hummm.4

METHOD 0F COMPRESSING AIR 0R GASES1 r APPLICATION HLED [[3.19. 1910. EENEWED )ULY I8. KSU. `1 ,257,607, Y Patented Feb. 26,1915.

vH. AA HUMPHREY. `METHOD, 0F COMFRESSING AIR 0R GASES.

APPLICATION FILED EE8.19.1910. RENEWED JULY 18. l9|7I 1,257,607. l Patented Feb. 21a-,191s

3 SHEETS--SHEET ll ll. A. HUNHHBEY` METHOD OF COMPRESSING AIR UR GASES. AFNIC/mon HLEU FEB. 19, 1910. RENEWED ;uLv|e.1'917.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT ALFRED HUMPHREY, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HUMPHREY GAS PUMP COMPANY, A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

METHOD OF COMPRESSING AIR OR GASES.

191C, Serial No, 544,882.

To all whomz't 'may concern:

Bc it known that I, HERBERT ALFRED HUMrnnEY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 38 Victoria street, Westminster, in the county of London, England., consulting engineer, have invented certain new and useful, Methods ci? Gompressmg Air or Gases, of which the following is a specification.

In n pending application, Serial No, 44.4061., of which the present application is a division, there is rlw/"ibed a process of compressing air or frases, which consists in propelling a mass o liquid outwardly from upon the disclosure of the a combustion chamber by the energy of expansion ot' anlignited combustible charge, thereby delivering air under pressure and compressing elastic fluid in a compression chamber, allowing some ol" the energy of this compression to cause the mass of liquid to return to the combustion chamber.- and in so doing to cause an inflow of :or gas into the compression chamber the expulsion of the products of combustion and the comression of an elastic cusjiion in the coru- `ustion chamber, xpendingtf energy stored in this ela'=tic cushion to 'propel out- Wardly, for the secon time7 the mass of liquid and thereby to entrain a fresh oombustion charge in the combustion chamber and compress the air or in ine compression chamber, and finally allowing the compressed air to reverse the flow of the mass of liquid causing it to rise in the -combustion' chamber and compress the fresh combustion chargel therein. Such a method involves a four stroke cycle', but according to this invention the cycle is changed to a two-stroke one, so that air under pressure may be de livered each alternate stroke.'

The cycle of operation is in many respects similar or 'analogous to that described and claimed iu my ,'copending application Serial No. 438,425, filed June v13, 1908; which application contains claims which may be' read present applica tion.' i

In ,carrying out my present invention I use la-pump of the klnd referred to in my copending applications Serial Nos. 438425 and 438427 as well as in the copending application Serial No. 388902.01 A. Cerasoli and myself and Serial No. 438426 of-'W. J. Rusdelland myself, wherein a. mass of liquid Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

Divided and this application led February 19,

Serial No. 181,451.

ignited combustible charge, which mass re` turns toward a combustion chamber to compress a fresh combustible charge; and `I use such a pump 1n combination with an air or @60 gas vessel having suitable valves, as an air or gas compressor or as a blowing engine and obtain considerable advantage as compared with blowing engines which have been previously employed wherein the air is al ternately drawn into and expelled from a vessel by oscillation of Water therein.

lin my combination the continually chan ing ots cica of the mass of liquid iivhc moves between the pump and the compressor practically controls vthe functions so as to bring about a unified machine.

For the purpose of my present invention it is not necessary that the pump of the kind in question should take in anyV fresh liquid, as the energy generated by the combustion instead of raising or forcing fresh quantities of liquid has to be mostly expended in compressing tho air or other elastic iiuidsnd delivering such Huid under'pressure. In some cases, however, there will be both an intake and discharge of liquid at each cycle.

It is a feature of my invention that at each cycle a portion of the energy stored in the air or elastic fluid compressed should be restl converted into the energy of motion offa mass of liquid so as to cause the latter .to return tow-ard the combustion chamber as aforesaid to compress the4 combustible charge or aportion thereof. Thus, that portion of the apparatus in which' the elastic fluid is compressed may serve the double purpose of delivering such elastic fluid under pressure and storing ener 4for compressing the fresh combustible c arge.

' Liquid oscillates through one or more pipes between the pump portion of the ap" paratus and the compressor p0rtion,"and by allowingy fresh liqu1d to enter 'and leave vthe apparatus at each cycle, the liquid which is heated in Working may be cooled outside the apparatusA and returned thereto. The

lplaces at which liquid is taken into and re- ]ected may be arranged so that the amount of cooling at the pump portion and the compressor portion may be advantageously varied to suit different circumstances.

ros

When .there is .en intake of fresh liquid a. i

portion of the energy of combustion may be used in raisin liquid thus admitted.

If il. relative y large volume of com ress ed air at a lower pressure than would ot ierwise be the case, is required, the apparatus may be allowed to take in relatively `large volunies of fresh .liquid so that the volume of moving liquid is increased and can displace morerair in the compressor, but this additional liquid can be discharged again at each cycle.

The foregoing general statements will be further elucidated by reference to the'hac- Vcompanying diagrammatic drawings shoigw ing sections of pum s and accessoriesthereto, operatedaccording to the invention,

beinlg (premised that the invention may be" a p in any suitable apparatus, that slibwn being merely by Way of illustration.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagra-mmatic vertical section of an apparatus, with parts omitted, operated according to the method of this invention, in which there are two combustion chambers and one compression chamber; Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are similar sections of modified'forms of the apparatus; Fig. 5 a vertical section of a device for conH .trolling the opening of the air delivery and closes by impact valve; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a meas uring device; Fig. 7 is a section of a device whereby the elastic fluid compressed may be separated from the compressing mass of liquid, and Fig. 8 is a verticalsection of a device embodying the features ,and 7. A 'i A,for m of apparatus, which may be iegarded as one of the simplest examples Vinasmuch as it does not require that there shall be either an intake or discharge of fresh liquid at each cycle, is shown in Fig. 1, in Which 1 and 2 are the combustion chambers of the pump and 3 is the air vessel or comn of Figs. 5

'pressor'cha-mber, the construction of-v the atterbeing the same as in Fig. 1, of the ci pending application Serial No. 444061. The combustion chambers are connected to the compressor-chamber by a duct 4 forliquid. Itis unnecessary to set forth in detail the cycle of operations occurring in the pump or to describe the functions of' the valve gear as-they are fully dealt with in my pending application Serial N o. 438427, but the action of the combined apparatus muy in general terms be described.A

Fitted to the top of chamber 1 is an eX- haust lvalve 32?l for burnt products, which opens, under. the 'action of its own Weight admission valve 34 V.which is opened by suc- .,tior'i. against the action of a light spring "Whichclosesthe valve again when the pressure on the two sides ofthe valve .are sufliciently equal-ized. An exhaust valve 35 and an admission valve 36 are corresponding parte fitted to chamber 2. Pins 37 and 38 of liquid upon it, an-

on the stems of valves 34 and 36 are adapted t0 engage with one end of bell cranks and 40 respectively and. the other ends of these bell cranks are connected together by link 41. A pin 42 is attached to one end 0f link 41 and engages in the slotted ond of rod 11 which is attached to paw] 12 and serves a purpose similar to that ot' the rod bearing the same number in Fig. 1 of my pendin application Serial N o. 444,061. above refer-re to. The position of the valves shown in Fig. ly of the di; `sling.accompanying the present applicatioinis correct when ignition is about to occur in either of the chambers. Assuming that ignition occurs in chamber 1, there will be a cushion of burnt products in the top of chamber 2 (or a cushion containing a portion of the combustible charge if a modification ol this type oi' pump is heilig used) otherwise the chamber is `full of liquid. In chamberi there will be a charge of air which is at atmospheric pressure.' The pressure duc to combustion in chamber 1 drives the liquid downward and outward from that chamber and through pipe 4 .int-o chamber 3, driving out air past valve 14 which is at present locked open. When expansion has been carried to or about atmospheric pressure in chamber 1, exhaust valve 33 opensJ and in chamber 2 liquid falls, causing 4admission valves 36 to open and drawing in fresh combustible charge into this chamber. This charge may be determined in quantity b y a measuring device, suchas that described' below, and after the charge is drawn inthe admission valve shuts under the action of its spring. Up to this stage the energy of expansion had been -mostly utilized in imparting kinetic energy to theliquid, but 'when admission valve 36 opened, its movement caused pin 3S to operate bell crank 40, rod l1, and pawl 12, thus withdrawing this pawl and permitting valve 14 to shut.

The kinetic energy then stored in the moving liquid is used t0 'compress the charge of air at this time inclosed in chamber 3 and to deliver a portion of such charge under pressure past valve 15. howevcr,- suflicient air: in the chamber to forni the necessary elastic cushion tofstore the energy required tolgive the compression stroke. This stored energy is utilii/.ed to produce a reverse flow of the liquid so that liquid now begins to fall in. chamber 3 and to flow back toward the pump Aportion ofthe apparatus rising in chaiil'ber 1 to expel burnt products through exhaust valve 33 and then into chamber 2 to compress the fresh combustiblc charge ready for the commencement of a fresh cycle by the ignition of this charge. After atmospheric pressure has been reached in chamber 3 the further movement of the liquid, due to its kinetic energy, draws a charge of air into this chamber There remains,VV

lio

throughvalve 14 which is sucked open to admit this charge and locked in its open positiorrby` )awl l2 engaging above collar 17. Thls rything is in readiness for commencing the next cycle by the ignition of the compressed combustible charge in chamber 2. The arrangement described insures that the burnt gases in either chamber 1 or 2,v according to which is giving the Working stroke, shall be expanded to atmospheric ressure.

If be l cranks 39 and 40, rod 11 and paWl 12 are removed, the apparatus will still work but care must be exercised in designing the proportion of the parts to insure that the burnt gases are allowed to expand to atmos pheri'c pressure.-

The main diiference in this case is that valve 14 is'shut at the beginning of the workingstroke and that air is'compressed from the time that liquid begins to rise in chamber 3 instead of from the time when the burnt ,gases have expanded to atmosphericpressine. In either the most advantageous Working occurs When the pressure at which the air or as is delivered does not exceedv a certain iinit depending on the mean effective pressure of the ignited expanding gases. l Consequently a modified arrangement is advisable when other ranges of pressure for the compressed air are desired.

f Fig; 2--shovvs such a modified arrangement 1n which lchamber '3 has 35 projectin an additional pipe 20 communicating with the atmosphere and 21 for ail-,on the stem of which is a pin '22 anda collar 23. Therer are also counterparts of the gear shown in Fig. 1, thus, bell crank 39has one of its arms adapted to engage withpin 37 on the stem of valve 34, and the other-arm of this-bell crank is connected by link 41 with bell crank 40. Pawl 25 is fitted toengage under collar 23 andis also connected byfrod43. and link 44 with pawls 45 Aand '-46' adapted to engage under the collars 47'and 48 of admission valves 34 and 36 respectively, pi n 22 fitted to stem of valve- 2'1 is adapted to engagewith 'one arm of bell 'crank 24.-.; Springs 30 and 3 1 are connected, v as shown betweenthe tw' rods 49 and 43 so l that the movement of rod 43 tends to'follow the -movement of rod 49. It will -be seen pawls 45' and 46 can both that while link 44 is of such aA length that be in en agement under their respective collars, paw 25 cannot atthe same time be in 'engagement under collar-23.

The operation of follows#- Assumi'n'gethat there isa compressed combustible charge'in chamber-1, that li uid fills chamber 2 with .the exception of an e astic cushion in the top thereof, and that the .left and paivl 46 eng for a considerable distance into the chaml ver' and this .pipe contains a valve this arrangement -is as valves are in the position shown. Liquid is at a relatively low level in chamber 3 and the chamber contains a charge vof' air. The charge in chamber 1 is now ignited and liquid is driven downward and outward'l from this chamber through pipe 4 into chamber 3. Air is discharged past valve 21 into the atmosphere until the level of the liquid reaches the bottom. of pipel 2O When liquid rising in this 'pipe shuts valve 21 by impact and the valve is immediately locked by pawl 25 which is brought beneath collar 23 by the tension on spring 30.

Further motion of the liquid compresses the air now inclosed in thechamber.- A portion of the compressed air is discharged .un-

-der pressure, but there remains suiicient to 'form the necessary elastic cushion to store the energy for Vcompressing the combustible charge.

As before described,l when the ignited gases in chamber 1 have expanded to atmospheric pressure, exhaust valve 33 opens, and liquid falls in chamber 2 opening valve 36 so soon as the pawl 46 is released from under collar 48 by .the movement of pawl'25 and rod 43 to the right; a fresh combustible charge, preferably -measured,- is thus drawn in. The opening of'admision valve 36 operates throughpin 38 bell crank 4U and moves rod 49 tothe left .thus putting tension on spring 31 so'that when admission valve 36 shots again, rod 43 is urged to the and withdraws .pawl 25 romlundervcollar 23. The .liquid havingometo., rest areverse under vcollarv 48.

ico

flow occurs, the elastic cushion chamber 3A l expands, and liquid flows toward chambers l and 2 giving the usual exhaust and compression stroke. `The pressure in chamber 3 continues t'o fall and at approximately atmospheric pressure valve 21 opens under its own weight admitting fresh' air as the movement o y controlled by a light spring, may also open under suction and facilitate the .intake-of' -fresh air. When valve 2.1l falls,.link.49 is moved to' the right and tension is puton spring 30 to urge rod 43 to the' right. Thus at the end of this stage,of the cycle there is -a compressed combusti-blecharge in chamber Small quantity zof air toa relatively high' pressure.

The action of the apparatus so far described may be varied to some extent by vathe liquid continues. Valve 14,'v

ryin the amount of liquid contained therein' t us reduction of the quantity of liqui is e uivalcnt to increasing the capacity of the c embers. and increase ofthe quantty ef liquid equiv` ent to decreasing the ca acity of the *lm-u. s.\

' odiications oi'- tho apparatus will,now be described in which at each cycle vfresh liquid is admitted and rejected and firstly in connection with Fig. 3. The combustion chamber. andethe resaca hambe'r are shown in such rela l tio that valves 50' and 51 for li uid, o nea the combustion chamber an the er near the compressor; may b e conveniently placed close together with the object that their inovements may be made to control one another. A tank 52 is so placed that `there may be a free flow of liquid to the short pipes in which these valves are situated, which pipes are continued as at 53 and 54 to communicate with the respective chambers. As before, pipe 4 connects the pump and compressor portions of the apparatus.

. In the co-pending application Serial No. 438425,'a type of pump is described in which the products of combustion are expelled and a new `combustible charge drawn in by means of an oscillationof liquid which occurs between aliquid supply and a combustion chamber in a manner full described in 'the' said application, and in t eco-pendin aplication Serial No.V 444061, a 'pump oA t 1s type is described wthreference to Fig.

vcharge drawn in by such means.

Bthereo'f, in' which the products of combusV tion are expelled A,and a' new combustible In the presentcase the ,reciprocating liquid only two strokes per cycle instead'of four strokes percycle, as in the casejust referred to, because when expansion has occurred in chamber 1 down ito that point at which valve 50 o ns,` liquid lows past this valve both to fol ow the liquid moving in the dis; charge ipe. and 'also to rise' in chamber 1 tov eirp'e he burntvproducts and shut the exhaust valve and, on the downward notion which completes its oscillation, tol draw in' a combustible charge. This. operation 'requires thatthe'- level of liquid in" the sup- Ely tank shall be. suitablyl adjusted and its eight must be suilicient to produce the l.necessary oscillation.` This oscillationmay be assisted by so raisin 'the level of the liquid in the sutpplr tank t at when the oscillation occurs, e quid rises in chamberl ast the exhaust valve level and gives a cus ion stroke followed by a cushion expansion and the last cited figure but 4 where .thetype of pump is that describedV Acombustible charging stroke, in the manner fully explained in' the application last -men-i l tioned.`

Fig. 3 shows an arran ementsimilar to vapted to the case there are two combustion chambers and in which the return How of liquid expels the burnt products from one chamber 'and compresses a fresh combustible charge in the other chamber. '1 and 2 are the combustion chambers and 3 is thc air compressorchamber. With all the valves in the position shown and acompressed combustible charge in the top of chamber 1 and a, charge of alr in chamber 3, ignition occurs'in chamber' 1 and 1i uid'is forced downward and outward from ihamber 1 toward chamber 3. Valve 51 is normally open so that liquid can escape past it into tank 52, while kinetic energy is be' imparted to the movin column of liq]iili When,however the ignited gases in chamber 1 have expanded to 'a suitable to that above this valve, and the `iurt er expansion of these gases causes valve 50 to open against the action of-spring 55 Athus admittin liquid Vto flow into the apparatus from tan '52. Valve 50 has on its stem a pin 57 adapted to engage against one arm of rocking lever 59 which is pivoted at 6.0 and the other arm of which engages against pin 58 0n the stem of valve 51, so that the' downward' movement of valve 50 causes valve 51 to shut. Thus the energy of expansion of the ignited ases has been so far mainly transformed into kinetic ener of the moving column. of liquid and w en valve 51 shuts, this kinetic energy is utilized in compressing the char e of air, contained in cham- .ber 3, some ofw ich air is delivered under pressure past valve l5, but suilicient is retained to form an' elastic cushion in which energy, is stored for reversing the How of the liquid. On reaching atmospheric pressure, ex

of its own weight and in chamber 2 liquid falls; causin a mission valve 36 to open and draw in a f h combustible char e into' this chamber, and when th'erevers'eow of the column ofliquid occurs due to the expan- `sion of the elastic cushion in the top of cham berI 3, `valve 5 0 is closed by the action of its springeand remains closed owing to the ressure low the valve exceeeding that a ove it. Liquid` falls chamber and rises in chamber 1 -expellin the exhaust products 'past exhaust valve 3 and then-into chamber' 2,1 to compressth'e fresh combustible charge as already explained with reference toVv Fig. 1. About the time when the pressure in chamber y8 reaches that of the atmos here, valve 51 by the al 'ng liquid and a freshcharge of .air is drawn into chamber v3. Thus the level of li uid in' chamber 3 Vtends' to be'maintaine at the level of liquid in tank 52 and valve 14 shuts under the pressure of its own spring when the 1i uid ceases to fall -in chamber 3 .havi su entially reached the level of the liqui lili tank 52. tthe end of',

aust'- valve 33 is opened underthe action also valve 14 is sucke open the reverse How toward chambers 1 and 2 compression in chamber 2 will be com leted and all the parts being once again in t e position shown in Fig. 3, the cycle of opera- 5 tions is ready to be again started by the ignition of the fresh compressed charge in c amber 2, but the functions of chambers 1 and 2 are reversed. Valves -5O and 51 may be adjusted for high or low pressures and operate in the manner already described,

with reference to the liquid sup ly valves in Fig. 3 of my ending application No. L1544061. Several of valve ear for the Working of the admission and ex aust valves on chambers 1 and 2 haver een described in application No. 438427, and therefore no such gear is shown 'on the da' .am Fig. 4 of the accompanyingliev 'ngs is added to Show the application of o' eforrn of the'apparatus mentioned in applic'a ,ion

No. 43842-5. The pump in this case is 'ttifii with an;automatic change over valve which alternately closes communication between the combustion chamber and-the supply pipe land between the chamber and the discharge pipe, in such a manner that there is communication between the combustion chamber-and therdischarge pipe during the coinpression' of' the combustible charge and durlngcombustion and expansion.; Communicass, cher,

.tlon' is established between th chamber and the liquidsupplyduring the oscillation of liquid--which exhausts the products of combustion andtakes in a fresh combustible v .U -Itr as been described in the said application-No.' 438425, how' this pump may be Worked in such a manner that the quantity ofy liquid taken in from the Supply may 40 equal the quant-ity'of liquid discharged back so and into the. Supply and in this form also it is apglicble. tb the present invention.

` Aferring 'toi-Fig. 4 itis assumed that there is acom 'ressed combustible charge in ve is closed and valve 51 maybe Ieither--open or closed according to whethenthe pressure at which the comF Rre'egd `air has to'be'delivered is to be relaj trvelyhigh orf'low. Ignition, combustion expansion now occur in 'chamber 1 and whenlcxpansionhas proceeded until the vpre saure-:ori the'supply' vside of valve 61 eX- 4 Aceeds the pressure I.1n' the chamber, this valve Vis moved into the position shown in dotted .'linejsyand the liquid' then moving with con- It igshutbythe .opening of valve 50; 'thus' the simple device shown in Fig. 5. n

e-meantime the-liquid oscillates be' escape of li uid throu h valve 51 into tank 52 is cut olil and the inetic energy of the moving column of liquid is utilized in compressing air in chamber 3, some of such compressed nir boing delivered from the apparatus and some being retained to form the necessary elastic cushion lo produce the reverse flow of liquid. When this reverse llow occurs, valves 50 and 51 are both shut and the energy of expansion of the elastic elishion in chamber 3 is utilized. to compress the combustible charge in chamber 1 and to draw a fresh charge of air into chamber 3.

When relatively low pressures are Wanted, instead of valve 50 being normally closed and valve 51 open, vulve 50 is normally openaiid valve 51 is normally closed, and the effect of this arrangement has already been described with 'reference to Fig. 3' of cof' pending application Serial No. 444061 of which this application a division.

For the sake of sn'i1. li.city a tank has been shown extending across the inlets of Valves 50 and 51, but it is found advantageous to placca partition in. thclanlr .such that the liquid must fion' a considerable distance in passing between that portion of the tank which communicates with the valve 50 and that portion which communicates with valve 51. Thus a large effective cooling surface can .be obtained. The arrangement is practically equivalent to two tanks connected together at their ends. 1

It has been assumed, in describing the cycles of. the various niod'ications ofy apparatus, that there already existedA a pressure in the outlet pipe at the compressor portion on the discharge side of the outlet valveequal to that at which it was desired todeliver the compressed air. This may, however, not be the case in starting the apparatus, as foninstanee, when a reservoir for containing the compressed nir delivered has to be pumped up to the desired pressure. If .the compressor started without pressure inA the delivery pipe, the irregular Working which would otherwise result until the delsired pressure had been ,attained `may be 'ne the .ovable piston 77 is held in position inn cylinder 78 by two springs 79 and 80, and on the top'.

avoided by fitting to' the outlet side of. `the piston air is maintained at atmospheric pressure vby holes 81 which communicate with the atmosphere, while the under side of the piston is subject to the rcssure of the air 'in the delivery pipe 82. he piston is shown in the position which it has when there .is atmospheric press-ure in the pipe 82, and in this position spring 75l has moved piston 77 into its lowest position and has compressed 4Spring v80 to such-fan extent -thatit requires a pressure below the outlet valve15. equivalent to the desired pressure at .which air is tovbe delivered to open this valve. As the air compressor is set to work and air is discharged past valve 15 the pressure in pipe 82 be ins to risc and the rassure on the under si e of the piston gra uallv increases until the desired worklng pressure for the compressed an' 1s reached when pistou 7 7 has been moved upward against the pressure of spring 7 9. This upward movement relieves the pressure on spring 80 and the springs may bc so adjusted that little or no compression now rcmains in spring l8O. Consequently valve 1 5 now opens when the ressure below it 1s substantially equal to t e pressure at which the air is to be delivered. By this arrange ment the pressure at which valve l5 opens may be maintained practicallyr constant from the starting of the apparatus until the desired pressure of deliveryis attained, and thus the pressure conditions for each cycle remain the same in spite of thc'varyiug pressure at the 4elivery side of the outlet valve.

Where the elastic fluid is supplied under pressure it may be supplied under such ressure by an apparatus of the kind 'herein described, which takes in elastic Huid at, atmospheric pressure, and then compression vvould take place in twostages, and the double apparatus would constitute a two stage compressor. With reference to the apparatus herein -described when compressing elastic fluids the fl'uid has generally been assumed to be air initially ait-atmospheric pressure.- This is not, however, necessary and any compressible iiuid can be supplied to the apparatus and at pressures other than that of the atmosphere.

A device for measuring a combustible charge into the combustion chamber of the ump has already been alluded to, and a urther description of it will now be given in connection with Fig. 6.

The combustion chamber 1 is fitted with the usual inlet valve 5, but the stem of this valve has a connection shown dia rammatically as aV rod83 with the stem o valve 84 `'placed in the combustible inlet pipe, such that when valve 5 opens valve 84 is closed. The combustible inlet pipes? is also connectedwith a measuring chalA 4r 85 in the I .top'of which there is a valve 8 -"'-adapted to the suction in chamber'85 lcauses the li impact of liquid upon it. Thus, valvv be shut by impact of liquid upon it. Meas uringchamber 85 is connected with a su ply of Water not shown, which is open to t e atmosphere in such a manner thatthe normal level of water in the measuring chamber may be adjusted.

heaction of the measuring apparatus is as follows i When valve 5- opens, valve 84 is closed and t0 i'ise therein until valve 86 shuts by;I

and 86 being both closed, no more combustible mixture can be taken into chamber 1 and when the pressure in this chamber and in the combustible inlet ipe 87 4has risen sufficiently, valve 5 will s ut under the action of its spring. This movement of valve 5 opens valve 84, and further combustible mixture ilows into pipe 87. Valve 86 falls by its own weight, and the li uid in chamber 85, in 'falling to its norma level, draws a measured quantity of combustible mixture into the chamber.

The seats of valves 5 and 84 are prolonged in vhsuch a manner as to cause these valves to.

at@ Partly as piston valves, so that valve 811-" may be shut by the time valve 5 is open.

It, will be seen that by altering the normal level of' liquid in chamber 85, the quantity of the measured charge taken in can bel varied.

lt is well known that pistons of diierent arcas may be used to convert high pressure energy into low pressure ener or vice versa, and it is obvious that this act can be utilized in connection with the present i'n vention. Thus, if low pressure air in large volume is required the liquid, instead of n'sin and fallin in an air compressor chalrilier, may act directly upon a piston 110 (Fig. 7) fitted in a turned portion of the pipe in 4which the liquid moves. This small piston ma be connected with a larger piston 111 and t 1e latter may move in an air compressor chamber 1,12. 14 and 15 are .inlet and outlet valves respectively fitted in the chamber and so situated that piston 111 in moving to its top position closes both inlet and outlet and imprisohs a cushion of air in the top of the chamber. Similarly, when the piston moves to its bottom position, it closes the vents to the atmosphere 15B and 159 and so cushions the air imprisoned in the bottom of the chamber and piston striking the chamber. T e action of the apparatus'is pre sely on the same lines as when liquid rises land falls in the chamber, the only di'erence being that, instead of the liquid rising and shutting valve 16. in chamber 3, to imprisonV an air cushion which stores the energy for reversing the flow'of liquid, pist-.on 111 cuts olf, communication bly covering the inlet and'outlet pipes in c amber 112 and thus impl-icons an air cushion in the toprof this chamber. The air cushion in the bottom of the chamber is not intended normally to come into play as the lowest position to which the piston normally reaches is that shown in Fig. 7.

Throughout the. present specification the elastic cushion which is com ressed in the air compressor to furnish tile ener for Athe return iow of lliquid has been spo en of fase, cushion of air, but it has been shown' in qta 'plication No. 438426 that in the OSDf e pump the elastic cushion maybe ob- 18u revents the tained by a piston or valve in 'a branch chamber opening into the combustionchamber, that side of the piston which is not presented to the chamber being acted upon, by a spring or by compressed air or equivalent device. llt is obvious that a like arrange- 1ment may constitute the elastic cushion in the air compressor chamber, in which case the Whole or nearly the vWhole of the compressed. air may bedelivered from the air vessel at each cycle and the energy stored in the cushioning arran ement just described may be utilized to proruce the reverse HOW of liquid. In an case Where air compres sors are made o Alargev si'ze'it is desirable to fit elastic cushions of the kind last mentioned merely as auxiliaries for the urpose of safety, so thatshould the cus ioning pressure exceed the maximum desired the auxiliary cushioning device may come into play, the' pressure behind the piston of such device being preferably such as to prevent motion of the piston until the maximum cushion pressure in the ordinary air cushion is' attained.

Having thus' particularly described and ascertained the. nature of my said invention and the best means I know ofcarrying the same 'into practical effect I claim 1.'The method of utilizing an expansive force of a compressed combustible charge which consists in reciprocating aliquid, the firstfoutstroke being due to said expansive force, utilizing the momentum of the outstroke to compress an elastic fluid, discharging part of said compressed elastic fluid, utilizing the expansion of the balance of said compressed elastic Huid to cause an instroke of the liquid to entrain fresh elastic.

fluid andv to compress a fresh combustible i charge.

f cl astio 2, The method of utilizing'an expansive 'force of fa compreed combustible charge which consists in reciprocating a liquid, the first ontstroke being due to said expansive force, utilizing the momentum of the outstroke to entrain a fresh combustible charge and to compress 4an elastic fluid, discharging part of said compreed elastic fluid, utilizing the expansion of the balance of said compressed elastic fiuid to cause an instroke of the liquid to entrain fresh elastic fluid andy to compressa fresh coniibustible charge.

3. The method of utilizing the) expansive force of compressed combustible charges expanded alternately in tWo combustion chambers, which consists in reciprocating liquid, the outstroke being due to said expansive force, utilizing the momentum of thev outstroke to-rornpreSs and deliver compressed Huidand to compress a confined elasv tic` cushion, 'utilizing the expansion of the 'cushioirto cause un' instrokeof the liquid to entrain fresh elastic fluid and to compress u-ircsh cou'ibustlble charge in one combuspnnsion of the cushion to cause an instroke of the liquid'to entrain fresh elastic u'id and to compress a fresh combustible charge in one combustion chamber and expel burnt products from the other.

5. The method of utilizing an expansive,

force of a compressed combustible charge,-

wliich consists in reciprocating a liquid, the first outstroke being due to said expansive force, utilizing the momentum of the loutstroke to compress an elastic fluid, discharging part of said compressed elastic fluid utilizing the expansion of the balance of said compressed elastic fluid to cause an instrokc of the liquid to entrain fresh elastic fiuid and to compress aA fresh combustible charge, and varying the volume of elastic Huid .compressed by the-outstroke.

6. The method of utilizing an expansivef force of a compressed combustible charge,

which consists in reciprocating a liquid, the first outstroke being due to said ex ansive force, utilizing the momentum of tie outstroke to compress an elastic fluid, discharging part of said compressed elastic fluid, utilizing the expansion of "the balance of said compressed elastic fluid to cause an instroke of the liquid to entrain fresh elastic fluid and to compress a fresh combustible charge, introducing to and discharging from the reciprocating liquid during each cycle to control the volume of elastic fluid com pressed.

7. The method of'utilizing an expansive force of a compressed combustible charge, which consists in reciprocating` a liquid, the

. first outstroke being due toV said ex ansive force, utilizing-the momentum of t e outi stroke to compress a elastic iuid, discharging part of said c pressed elastic fluid4 utilizing the expan ion of the balance 'ofl said compressed elastic fiuid to cause an instroke of the liquid to entrain fresh elastic Afluid and to comp ess a fresh combustible charge, varyin t e amount'of elastic fluid introduced au impressed.

8. The method of utilizing an expansive force of a compressed combustible' charge which consists in recipracating a liquid, the

first'outstroke being due to said ex ansivel force, utilizing the momentum of t e outstroke to compress an elastic fiuid,.discharg ing part'of said compressed elastic fluid -uti izing the expansion of the balance o said com elastic luid to cause an instroke o the liquid to entrain fresh elastic Huid and, to compress a fresh combustible cha and separating the elastic fluid from tliel i 'force' of a compressed com stible char e lTirliichconsists in reciprocatingllal liquid, t e

' 4laid com ressed elastic il id to cause an instroke o the liquid to entrain fresh elastic Huid and to compress a 4fresh combustible char and separating the elastic fluid from iid e method. 'of utilizing an expansive posed between .said liquid column and said Vpi-oduction 4of the opposite movementof re-' iciprocation by the expansion of said elastic 'j'fluid acting upon a gisten connected with a vpistonA acting upon t e liquid.

V12. The method of utilizing the'vforce of a reciprocating column of liquid, one-movef ment of said'reciprocation being due tothe expansion of a primary medium, which comv prises the compression of anelastic fluid by said movement ofreciprocation, and the production of the opposite movement of reciprocation by the expansion of said elastic medium acting upon a piston connected with 'the iquid by ,interposing an independent another piston acting upon the column of piston. y

' -10. The method of utilizing the-force of a, reciprocating column of liquid, which com- 'one movement of reciprocation and the production of the opposite movement of reci -rocation by the ansion of 'said elastic )duid actingup'on'a iferei'itial piston 'fiitertl'ie compression' ofy an elastic iiid'by li uid. g

` n testimony whereof I Vhave signed my name to -this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IIERBERT'ALFRED HUMPHREY.

Witnesses: f

JOSEPH MILLABD, WALTER I. Siiniz'mn. 

